The Rogues Who Went Rogue
Chapter 51

When Lucianne saw Tate and Margaret holding hands, she instinctively touched her husband's arm as her eyes sparkled when they met his smiling ones. After pecking a light kiss on her forehead, Xandar muttered, "Looks like it went well."

Margaret's surprised eyes shot to her daughter, and Lucianne motioned Stella to go to her. Although hesitant, Stella obeyed and took careful steps towards them. Margaret let go of Tate's hand when she pulled Stella into a relieved hug, and Tate came over to embrace Lucianne and When Tate saw Greg holding Reida a small distance away, he stared for another three seconds before he asked, "That's the other duke?"

greet the king and the duke.

"Yeah, why?" Lucianne answered simply.

"And that's Reida?"

"Yeah."

"The other duke is holding Reida."

"Yes."

"Reida, as in your daughter, Reida?"

Lucianne's eyes narrowed. "Congratulations, Tate. You have eyes, and your mind is working just fine."

Tate chuckled and confessed, "I just never pictured that duke to have it in him to be anywhere near a child."

"Well, none of us did," Xandar admitted as they glanced at Greg.

The duke was now being more careful with Reida's prying fingers as he mumbled under his breath, "You're not as boring as the Blackfurs, are you, princess? On the outside, you have a dull, Blackfur-resembling face. On the inside, you're just like your mother, seemingly harmless but dangerous. And it's a good thing. You know why? Because we don't want you ending up dim and slow now, do we?" And Greg went on talking to Reida despite knowing that she couldn't understand a single word he was saying.

After Tate managed to tear his eyes away from that weird sight, Lucianne asked with a cheeky smile, "So, how was your first date?"

That wasn't an official first date with Margaret but it sure felt like a good-enough private moment with her. Tate couldn't hide his widening smile, and he glanced behind him, at his mate, before he whispered, "It went better than I expected. She's really opening up to me." "Aww...that's great!" Lucianne offered him a congratulatory hug as Xandar patted his shoulder with a radiant smile.

Christian teased, "So, when's the wedding, Alpha?"

Tate started blushing as he chuckled briefly and said, "That might not happen so soon, Your Grace. I don't want to rush her."

Christian threw his cousin and cousin-in-law a cheeky smirk and said, "Welllllll, that sounds VERY familiar, cuz. Remind me, where have I heard it before?"

Lucianne started blushing, too. Xandar held her closer and planted a kiss on her hair. Margaret came forward with the rest of her pack members. She glanced over Christian and Xandar before her eyes remained fixed on Lucianne. Anyone could see the guilt swimming in her rosewood orbs. She offered a quick curtsy and uttered, "My Queen."

Her people behind her followed suit, addressing Lucianne in a non-synchronized way. Margaret and her people then greeted Xandar and the duke. The three royals bowed back in return, shocking all the rogues present.

Lucianne detached herself from her mate's hold and approached Margaret with a welcoming smile, wrapped her in a hug as she said, "It's good that everyone got here safely, Margaret. Thank you."

Margaret was so stunned by the hospitality despite her crudity with Lucianne on the first day that her mouth opened but she didn't know what to say. She thought of apologizing for her earlier behavior, or was thanking Lucianne for taking care of Stella a better way forward first, or maybe she should convey her gratitude for giving her and her people a chance?

"YOU?!" Greg's exclamation drew everyone's attention to him as his look of disbelief fixed on Margaret. Even Reida was looking at Margaret with large, clueless orbs.

Margaret went from being vulnerably speechless to frustratingly shocked. Her eyes turned wide and fierce when she spoke to Tate, "You said we were working with rogues!" Tate glanced at Greg before assuring Margaret, "Those are rogues, Mar."

The affectionate way he called her had some effect on calming Margaret down but she still whisper-yelled, "No, that's a royal! His followers are royal rogues. It's different!"

Lucianne nodded once in comprehension before throwing Greg a teasing smirk and noted aloud, "Royal rogues, I see."

Desmond declared with a wide grin, "Best of the best, queen."

Margaret scoffed darkly and exclaimed, "More like pushiest of the pushiest!"

Alissa argued, "We asked one damn question, Maggot. If you just gave us the answer, we would have moved on without a fuss.”

Lucianne's humor from the 'royal rogues' revelation died down, and she was too afraid to ask, but had to, "What fuss?"

Alissa's defensiveness diminished when she cleared her throat and explained, "Well, My Queen, we crossed paths with this pack a few years back when we were tracking down a mole that infiltrated and escaped our circle. We asked around, and this pack was particularly...reluctant to offer direct answers, so—"

Azalea yelled, "You surrounded us at 3:42 in the morning! Did you expect us to be anything less than defensive?! And you set our supplies on fire!"

Desmond yelled back, "After ya'll refuse to give answers! If ya'll knew nothin' 'bout what we asked, then say it! Why were ya'll tryin' to delay us like ya'll hidin' somethin'?!"

"WAHHHHHH" Reida's sudden cry stopped every adult's bickering.

Greg's eyes widened in shock and his heart cracked. He held the little girl closer to his chest as he threw Desmond a glare so sharp that Desmond covered his mouth immediately. Lucianne sprinted over, and took a red-faced Reida from the duke. "There there, Reida. Shh...shh...It's okay. It's okay. Mama's here. Everything's okay. Shh..."

Xandar came over with worried eyes, stroking his daughter's arm as Lucianne cooed and planted soft kisses on Reida's forehead. Reida's cries gradually subsided with her mother's assuring voice and scent, and her father's comforting touch. The cries eventually turned into softer sobs and sniffles before her tiny hands reached for her father's thumb, holding it close to her chest just to feel safe.

The royal couple sighed in relief when that was over, and so did everyone around them, especially those who shouted. Since Reida didn't want to let go of her father's thumb, Xandar took her from Lucianne and coddled her. The indecisive baby then let go of her father's thumb as she took her mother's fingers and glued them to her chest before leaning into her father for his scent.

With a soft smile, Xandar muttered, "Looks like we're both stuck with her again." He then pecked a kiss on Lucianne's temple.

Suddenly, they heard certain motions around them. As they tore their eyes from Reida, Xandar's protectiveness made him pull Lucianne closer to his body without a second thought. The royal couple's eyes turned defensive by instinct.

Greg and every rogue got down on one knee as they started conveying their apologies at the same time. Xandar and Lucianne's sharp hearing caught most of them.

Greg started, "I'm deeply sorry for the distress my followers and I have caused the princess and you, My Queen."

Desmond followed, "Really sorry 'bout that, queen. Ain't gonna happen again."

Margaret was saying, "I should've controlled my temper. I'm sorry, Your Highnesses."

Azalea spoke very fast, "I didn't mean to shout. I just got mad and-"

Reida started getting restless again, and Xandar covered her exposed ear as his animal made him emit a low, warning growl to silence everyone present. Lucianne stroked his biceps to calm his beast as she spoke to everyone in a clear voice, "Everyone simply acted on instinct. I'm partly at fault for choosing to ask about the time your groups crossed paths. Please, stand. All of you. Let's just head for the meeting room at the station now." "As you wish, My Queen," they uttered in unison, and the synchronicity surprised Xandar, Christian and Lucianne herself.

When they were walking to the ready cars, Margaret felt a sharp pain that surged from her nape to the top of her head. She groaned and fell to her knees as Tate asked her what was wrong. Her eyes were shut tight, her body was fidgeting, and cold sweat started appearing on her forehead as Tate guided her to sit on the floor.

Tate asked Azalea in dismay, "What's happening to her? Is this normal?"

Azalea looked worried, too. "It's not. I've never seen her like this."

"Mom!" Stella screamed, hoping her mother could hear her.

Lucianne carefully detached herself from Reida's grip and rushed over. When Margaret's eyes forced themselves open, they weren't their normal rosewood color. They were bright red, and Margaret muttered, "Blood. There's a lot of blood."

"Blood?" Tate repeated as his worried eyes locked with Lucianne.

Suddenly, Lucianne's own eyes glazed over.